2005 Citizen Endorsements
For Mayor
How
To Submit An Endorsement
Candidate:
Chris Coleman
Submitted By: Mary Rosenthal
Date: February 28, 2005
Chris has a vision for St. Paul 20 years down the
road and I want to live in that city. His vision for St. Paul is
about moving St. Paul forward so that in the future our kids and
grandkids will have the same opportunities and pride in St. Paul
he has.
I share his vision of our kids learning in the best
schools and libraries and playing in the finest parks and rec centers
in the country. His vision of St. Paul is of young people and working
folks being able to find jobs that provide a living, so that they
can afford housing in safe, clean neighborhoods. His vision is of
a vibrant downtown and healthy neighborhoods bustling with activity,
with a mix of businesses, housing, transit, arts, entertainment
and culture that makes St. Paul a destination.
I like Chris’s style. He brings people together,
listens to all sides and knows how to build consensus. We don’t
always agree, but we do most of the time, and I respect his courage
and independence. Chris knows how to accept criticism and is willing
to admit mistakes. He is honest, fair and ethical. We can count
on Chris to do what he believes is right – for us and for
St. Paul.
Most of all, I believe Chris will value, respect and
represent St. Paul’s people. Together, we can take back the
mayor’s office.
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Candidate:
Rafael Ortega
Submitted By: Kazoua Kong-Thao
Date: February 28, 2005
I am supporting Rafael because he is ready to build
a diverse and exciting Saint Paul right now. Commissioner Ortega
was a co-chair of my campaign for the school board two years ago,
and it was an honor to have his help. In every instance - a Hmong
dinner, a Chamber of Commerce reception, or an issues forum, he
connected with people in a thoughtful, joyful way.
We need that in this campaign and we need it in the
Saint Paul of the future. Anybody who has worked with our schools
or spent time on the East Side knows this city is changing and our
new Mayor needs to be able to take advantage of the diversity; not
be afraid of it or exploit it cheaply.
In my community, we have had great successes, but
we have struggles, too. I think that only a Mayor with a long history
in our communities of color, who has developed trust and understanding,
will be able to help with the healing. Rafael is ready to step in,
be a strong leader, and connect our communities - physically, with
a 21st century transit system and parks and recreation centers,
and with respect - person to person. I am excited to be a part of
his campaign and I hope you will join us.
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Candidate:
Chris Coleman
Submitted By: Jeff BLodgett
Date: February 28, 2005
The best word single word that describes Chris Coleman
is “grounded”. He’s grounded in our community
like no one else I know. His love for, his dedication to, and his
deep understanding of St. Paul comes through in everything he does.
His strong ties to all kinds of people in all walks of life and
in every corner of our city, means he will represent all of St.
Paul instead of the narrow slice we get with the current mayor.
He’s also grounded as a person. What I like
most about Chris is he knows who he is, he has strong core Democratic
convictions, he has a crystal clear vision for the city of St. Paul,
and best of all, he’s willing to fight for it. These qualities
make him an exceptionally strong DFL mayoral candidate. He provides
the voters of St. Paul with a clear choice up against an incumbent
mayor with no core beliefs, with no vision for the city, and with
no interest in working with people.
Through his two children, Aidan and Molly, Chris Coleman
is grounded in our public schools. He's passionate about children
and about how well we educate them. He believes the St. Paul mayor
should fight the cuts from above that have hurt our schools, not
quietly accept them.
Chris also believes in a green future for St. Paul
– making our city a national leader and magnet for the green
technology industry. Whether it's ideas like converting the Ford
plant to building hybrid vehicles or his vision for a 21st century
city transportation system of LRT, trains, buses and trails. I like
the idea of putting a strong environmentalist in the mayor's office.
Finally, I will always appreciate Chris's tireless
work on the city council to win city funding for the Neighborhood
House to be named the Paul and Sheila Wellstone Community Building
Center. Please join me in supporting Chris Coleman for mayor of
our great City.
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Candidate:
Rafael Ortega
Submitted By: Gail Daneker
Date: February 28, 2005
I am supporting Rafael because he is a strong progressive
leader and I trust him to bring those progressive values to the
Mayor's office. I have worked on many campaigns in Saint Paul and
nationally and I always look for candidates who both advocate effectively
for social justice in the political sphere and live it in their
personal lives.
Rafael is deeply grounded in social justice. He grew
up as a first generation immigrant on the Lower East Side of New
York and was the family's translator and advocate. He experienced
racism directly and he also saw people from every background working
and living together in his own tenement and on his own block.
In my conversations with him I have seen real passion
for change and a deep understanding about how we confront systems
from the outside and the inside. I was impressed by his work with
the Minnesota Council of Churches in the 1980s, building Chicanos
Latinos Unidos en Servicio (CLUES) in the 80s and 90s, and by his
work at the County Board since 1994. He has been a forceful leader
building thousands of units of affordable housing, streamlining
the intake system, and fixing the Ford Bridge among many other things.
I trust him to build a great Saint Paul and to include
progressives in his administration for the first time in twelve
years.
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